The Journey So Far

"Barafusta doesn't mark the beginning of my creative journey. It marks the moment I decided to put it back at the center of my life."

A journey built by images

For a long time, I thought that my professional path had led me away from illustration, something I now realize was not true.

The truth is that every stage of my life helped build the creative professional I am today:

• Screen printing taught me to understand materials, printing, and the importance of detail;
• Graphic Design taught me to communicate through images;
• Training showed me the value of sharing knowledge.

When I returned to drawing, I brought with me much more than the desire to create; I brought decades of experiences that naturally became part of every illustration.

Looking back, I realize I never truly left drawing; I was just building, unknowingly, the path that would lead me back to it.

Where it all began

My connection to images began early.

At just 17, I started my professional career in screen printing. I was part of a world where I learned that creativity also demands rigor, technique, and respect for materials.

For decades, I worked daily with inks, emulsions, printing frames, fabrics, papers, and production processes.

I learned that a good image isn't just about inspiration; it's also about the quality of its execution, and yes, it was an extraordinary school.

On the other hand, drawing never stopped being a part of my life. Whenever I found time, I returned to graphite and watercolor, exploring a more personal language and participating in some exhibitions.

Graphic Design

In 2007, I also started my journey in Graphic Design, and I consider it a natural evolution.

I began to see images not just as something to be printed, but also as a way to communicate ideas, build identities, and create connections between people and brands.

Professional Training

As a Multimedia Trainer at IEFP, I had the opportunity to support various individuals in developing their creative and technical skills.

This new professional path turned out to be one of the most enriching experiences of my journey, and each class also represented an opportunity for me to continue learning.

A break that wasn't a break after all

My professional life gradually took up more and more space, and for about fifteen years, illustration took a backseat.

At the time, I thought I was moving away from drawing, but today I see that phase differently:

• Screen printing taught me every day how to transform images into objects;
• Graphic Design helped me better understand visual communication;
• Training taught me how to organize ideas and share them.

Unbeknownst to me, I was building a solid foundation for what was to come.

barafusta - creative printing

There came a time when I felt the need to create again beyond professional projects, and it was from this reunion with drawing that barafusta - Estampagem Criativa was born.

More than a brand, it is a space where I reclaim the freedom to experiment, explore different languages, and draw without limitations again.

Today, each illustration is born from the union of all the experiences accumulated throughout my professional life.

Nothing was left behind, and everything became part of what I create today.

What I believe in and emphasize at barafusta:

I believe that art does not need to be confined to gallery walls;

I believe it can accompany us in our daily lives;

It can be present on a T-shirt, a sweatshirt, a poster, or any other item that is part of our lives.

Each collection is first born as an illustration and only then finds the piece where it best expresses itself.

I do not seek to follow trends or produce mass-produced images.

I prefer to develop illustrations with their own identity, inspired by a journey where Screen Printing, Graphic Design, traditional illustration, and contemporary creativity coexist, because I believe that wearing an illustrated piece is also a form of expression.

A journey that continues

They say the destination is what matters, but in my case, I believe it's the journey.

"People can copy a product, but they cannot copy a journey."

"To illustrate is to discover... and then share that discovery with others."

Carlos Paula — Illustrator, Graphic Designer, Screen Printer, and Creator of barafusta - Estampagem Criativa.

Thank you for visiting barafusta - Estampagem Criativa and for being part of this story.

Welcome.

This is not the end of the story. It is just the point where I decided to start telling it.